Intro: Bob George, in his book titled, ‘Classic Christianity: Life’s too short to miss the Real Thing’ said

 ‘There are few things quite so boring as being religious, but there is nothing quite so exciting as being a Christian!’

Q: What do you think the author meant by that?

 He continues:
 ‘Most folks have never discovered the difference between the one and the    other, so that there are those who sincerely try to live a life they do not have,    substituting religion for God, Christianity for Christ and their own noble    endeavors for the energy, joy and power of the Holy Spirit.
  In the absence of reality, they can only grasp at ritual, stubbornly defending    the latter in the absence of the former, lest they be found with neither! They    are lamps w/o oil, cars w/o gas, pens w/o ink, baffled at their own impotence    in the absence of all that alone can make man functional; for man was so  engineered by God that the presence of the Creator w/i the creature is   indispensable to his humanity.’

Q: What was the author telling us about the struggle between being religious and being a Christian?
     What does he mean by ‘substituting...’?
     What does he mean by ‘They are lamps w/o oil...’?
     Ever felt like that?

 George continues:

 ‘There are those who have a life they never live. They have come to Christ and thanked Him only for what He did, but do not live in the power of who He is. Between the Jesus who ‘was’ and the Jesus who ‘will be’ they live in a  spiritual vacuum, trying with little or no zeal to live for Christ a life that only    He can live in and through them, perpetually begging for what in Him they  already have.’

Q: What do you think George mean when he said ‘but do not live in the power of  who He is.’?
     What do you think he meant by  ‘Between the Jesus who ‘was’ and the Jesus  who ‘will be’ they live in a spiritual vacuum,
     trying with little or no zeal to live for Christ a life that only He can  live in and through them.’?

 Christians know they are going to heaven when they die. And this is better than the alternative.  Christians have been taught to expect very little from the Christian life in the ‘in between’ time. (between the cross and the 2nd coming of Christ) so we end up settling for so much less than God ever intended for the Christian to experience.

 So it’s other people who win the lottery, other people who get the promotions at work, other people who have great homes, other people who really seem to have the power of God in their lives, other people who are so blessed by God. We have become accustomed to the ordinary, the mundane, the uneventful, the routine in life.  The possibility of some really good thing happening to me is very distant.

 This is even true in the spiritual realm. Many Christian can’t imagine God’s goodness to them ever being extravagant, grand or abundant. They have been conditioned to consider themselves as unworthy of God’s extravagant grace and goodness.

 Many Christians feel that they are not good enough, worthy enough, holy enough, or  sincere enough to experience any of the really good stuff in the Christian life. At least not until Jesus comes back.

 Well, that might be were some of you are now. But by the end of these 8 weeks I hope to show you from God’s Word that it the Christian life doesn’t have to be lived that way. We do have a right to experience the extravagant grace and goodness of God in our lives.

 We will also find that there is nothing we can do to receive our inheritance, nothing to deserve God’s extravagant grace, nothing to work at to be totally accepted and beloved by God. We just need to accept what we already are.

ILL: Martin Luther once said ‘Sanctification is just getting used to our Justification.’

Q: What do you think he meant by that?

     One of the most powerful things I have ever heard is the authors statement ‘perpetually begging for what in Him they already have.’

Q: What does he mean by this?

 I believe that other than sin, this is the single most important factor leading to the defeated lives many Christians live...yes, many Christians. And I would include myself in the many category. And because many Christians don’t know better, they never know what Jesus meant when he said he came to give life and to give it abundantly.

 Jesus also said ‘You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’. (Jn 8:31)  If truth frees us then error binds us. Many Christians are living in error concerning their Christian life and that is why they live defeated, depressed, impotent Christian lives.

Read: Jn 8:36 ‘So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!’

 Truth, remember is a person, and Truth in the person of Jesus Christ has set you free...He has already done it..you are free. You just don’t know what that means. And that is how Satan wants to keep you. Ignorant,  impotent and ineffective as a Christian.

Q: When asked ‘Who are you? How do you respond, what do you say, be honest?

  -Name, age, marital status, occupation, nationality, address, race, sexual orientation, a Christian? Can you be more specific?

 The great lie is thinking that our self-esteem our self-worth is measured by what we do, where we have been or where we live or what others think of us. It’s a lie, but it is a lie that creeps into the lives of many Christians.

Read: Woody Allen ‘My only regret in life is that I’m not someone else!’

 Talk about low self-esteem. But that is where many Christians are. That is how many Christians feel and it is ruining their lives, their families, and robbing them of the joy of the Lord.

 Let me give you another more positive example of a proper self-esteem taken from George’s book ‘Classic Christianity.’

Read: ‘The small boy, not quite 3 yrs old, skipped down the imposing corridors. Armed servicemen, the best of the best, took no notice of the child who ran past their assigned posts. the boy passed several staff members on his way, who likewise took little notice except for an occasional smile.
    Passing a secretary's desk, the little boy did not acknowledge her wave,  intent as he was on his goal. In front of the door stood another armed sentry. But the guard made no movement to hinder the progress of the child who opened the door and went inside. With a grin the boy ran across the carpet in the Oval Office and climbed into the lap of the most powerful      man in the world. Influential cabinet members had to wait to continue their discussion as President John F. Kennedy and his son, John-John exchanged  good morning hugs and kisses.
    Can you imagine someone objecting? Now wait just a minute little boy, don’t you know who this man is? His is the
president of the United States, the leader of the greatest country on earth. You can’t just waltz on in here anytime you want. And you certainly can’t sit in his lap. John-John would have just looked at his challenger with a surprised look. Then with a grin of total confidence would say ‘He’s my daddy’ You see John-John knew who his father was and he knew who he was.’

     A lot of well meaning, devout Christians have the idea that the Christian must beg to come into the presence of God. That the Christian must clean up their act, get it all together, do this or that, or not do this or that until they are worthy enough to be in God’s presence.  It’s a lie! God says the Christian is always worthy to come into His presence, because they are covered in the righteousness of Christ.

Q: How can you be sure?

Read: Heb 4:16

Q:  What is that saying? What is that really saying? Do you believe it?
       What does that imply about your self worth?

     There have been many, many books written on self esteem, self worth and they may be somewhat helpful. But only if you understand that the foundation, the basis for your self esteem as a Christian is who God says you are in His Word. The Bible is the foremost authority on the subject of self esteem and self worth. And the truth is, the Christians self worth is the result of their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Read: George ‘Do you think that if God were introducing you around the kingdom  of heaven He would say ‘This is Jimmy; the paranoid, manic depressive schizophrenic?’ No!. God would say ‘This is my  beloved son, Jimmy!’ When God looks at you, He sees a child of His who is totally forgiven, perfect in His sight because you are in Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.’

Q: Do you see it? Do you see how God sees the Christian?
      What does it mean to have a low self image?
      What does it mean to have a good self image?
      Which one do you think God wants you to have?

 Neither. The problem is not a low self image and it is not even having a good self image. It is discovering a right self image. A right or correct self image comes from God and His Word, through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

 Our identity, our self image, self worth, self esteem is not found primarily in our earthly relationships but first and foremost in our access to our heavenly Father, our friendship with Jesus Christ and the consistent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 When we welcome Jesus into our lives as Savior, we enter into a relationship with not only Jesus through faith, but with God the Father through our relationship with Jesus His Son.

 Understand that a right self image is necessary for the Christian if we are going to come to the Father for help in the troubled areas of our lives, and believe that He will hear us when we call.

 Jesus said ‘You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free’

Q: Is truth, truth if we don’t believe it?
     Is truth, truth even if we are not aware of it?

 There are times when we can never be free unless we know the truth. You see, if you do not know the  truth then you may be acting on a lie. If you act on a lie, then the lie becomes a reality for you. Don’t live the lie that says you are less than God says you are. Don’t live like a pauper when in fact you are royalty.

ILL: Martin Luther: ‘Sanctification is a matter of getting used to our Justification.’

Q: Have you in the past or are you now struggling with issues related to your self esteem, your self identity or self worth?

     Have you believed the lie that says who you are depends on what you do or have done, how you feel or what others think of you?

    Is your Christian life more of a duty than a joy?

    Do you feel like God is just waiting to zap you when you do something wrong?

    Do you feel unworthy of God’s love and acceptance? Unworthy to be in His       presence?

    Do you believe that extravagant things from God are only for the ‘best’ or most       ‘committed’ Christians?

    Do you truly know who you are in Christ?

 These are some of the questions I hope to explore and answer, according to the Word of God, in the next 7 weeks. I hope you will come back and bring a friend.

READ: The I Am’s of the Christian